Donation to Expand Special Olympics Screenings

The success of the Special Olympics
Healthy Athletes program, which includes the physical therapy fitness screening
FUNfitness, has led to a $12 million donation
to expand Special Olympics' health-related services and launch a new Healthy
Communities initiative. The donation, made by United States businessman and
philanthropist Tom Golisano, was announced
September 23 by former President Bill Clinton at the Clinton Global Initiative
event in New York City.

Healthy Athletes has provided free
health screenings and products to athletes for 15 years. In addition to
physical therapy screenings the program offers podiatry, better health and
well-being, audiology, sports, vision, and dental screenings. The donation will
allow FUNfitness to expand its efforts to develop and promote fitness
activities at the community level in a multitude of locations around the globe.

Healthy Communities' goal is to
achieve improved health outcomes for people with intellectual disabilities with
the ultimate goal of ensuring that all are receiving health services and are
able to reach their full potential. It will expand services to more athletes,
increase partnerships with local organizations, expand the use of technology,
and promote awareness of the health difficulties facing people with
intellectual disabilities. The program will be launched in 7 countries (Mexico,
Peru, Romania, Malawi, South Africa, Malaysia, and Thailand) and 6 states in
the US (Arizona, Florida, Kansas, New Jersey, Wisconsin, and New York). It will
build upon and broaden the scope of the current Healthy Athletes program.

Several APTA members have been instrumental in the success of FUNfitness
and the Healthy Athletes program. Donna
Bainbridge, PT, EdD, ATC, is global clinical advisor for FUNfitness and
Fitness Programming. Jim Gleason, PT, MS,
serves as FUNfitness research and education coordinator. Vicki Tilley, PT, GCS, is FUNfitness coordinator of Clinical
Services-North America.

APTA developed FUNFitness, an assessment of
flexibility, functional strength, and balance created for athletes
participating in the Special Olympics, as an outgrowth of the North Carolina
Chapter's successful flexibility screening program created for the 1999 Special
Olympics.